Saturday, January 23, 2016

From WEGOTTHISCOVERED.COM

By Samantha White

Review of RECOVERY ROAD Season 1

Due to its subject matter, which deals very plainly with drug/alcohol abuse and the struggles one faces throughout the initial stages of recovery, Recovery Road is already set apart from other television shows aimed at teens. It’s certainly not the first teen show to deal with alcohol and drug abuse – “Very Special Episodes” have covered this ground since the ’90s. Nor is it the first to see its leading lady through this fight – The O.C’s Marissa Cooper was social chair by day, and passed out by night.

However, while other shows have confronted addiction in a fairly one-dimensional manner, treating an overdose as a speed-bump or portraying all addicts as strung-out skeletons with bad teeth, Recovery Road aims to paint a complex picture of what it’s like to struggle with this disease, and to provide a more realistic idea of what an addict can look like.

Maddie isn’t shooting heroin or suffering from massive withdrawal, but she has licked cocaine off of a bathroom floor before, and that’s the kind of behavior that crosses the line between fun and full-on dangerous. On Recovery Road, addicts come in all shapes and sizes, and so do their paths to sobriety, helping to demonstrate to young viewers that addiction is deeply complicated, rather than reserved merely for those who are “Bad” or weak.

That being said, the show definitely has a tendency toward preachy and overdramatic qualities. One of the pilot’s weakest moments comes toward the end of the episode, when a patient who has just completed his time at Springtime relapses and returns to wreak havoc on the house. Vases are broken, the lighting is dimmed, and the music stings, as Maddie is given a look at what her life could be like if she doesn’t get clean. It’s a big moment with an After-School Special quality that looks down to its teen audience and undermines the more subtle portrayals of addiction and relapse featured on the show.

......

If the first few episodes are any indication, Recovery Road is a solid drama grounded firmly in the teen genre, borrowing just enough from its predecessors to achieve a comfortable familiarity. Its identity pertaining to said genre seems to be Recovery Road’s downfall at points – the episodes can feel sentimental and neutered, despite attempts to portray addiction in a multifaceted manner. However, with its quick dialogue and fully realized main character, Recovery Road just might flourish into a series that transcends its early trappings.

2 comments:

Blake, your Recovery Road television series, after your book, is excellent! I'm 55 years old with over 33 years of recovery! I'd like to see old timer, Max Gail (got his autograph playing drums with mom on piano and Eisenhower High School, Soupy Sales Telethon, 1976, Detroit, MI!) a regular in the restaurant where recovery people go meet and socialize AFTER meetings! Can you not 13th step your characters? Write me! I've got ideas and recommendations to make the TV show a huge hit! Good Job!

Blake, email is mrmariop007@gmail.com I like the 12 step words, phrases, healthy communications... I like the North counselor(blonde reminds me ofna woman I'm interested in) and the awesome gay guy with beard! If you don't know what 13th stepping is, email! Have any writer email me! Love this show!